Apparatus for winding limp material into coreless rolls



1956 M. A. SCHWARTZ ETAL 2,

APPARATUS FOR WINDING LIMP MATERIAL INTO CORELESS ROLLS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 29,. 1952 4 TOP/V57.

Dec. 25, 1956 M. A. SCHWARTZ ET AL 2,

APPARATUS FOR WINDING LIMP MATERIAL INTO CORELESS ROLLS Filed March 29,1952 a Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Wok/var.-

Dec. 25, 1956 M. A, SCHWARTZ ETAL APPARATUS'FOR WINDING LIMP MATERIALINTO CORELESS ROLLS Filed March 29, 1952 H mm Mn k wAm n m k. a

6 k 7 5mm M -1 Trl l I- u l Dec. 25, 1956 M. A. SCHWARTZ ET AL APPARATUSFOR WINDING LIMP MATERIAL INTO CORELESS ROLLS Filed March 29, 1952 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 25, 1956 M. A. SCHWARTZ ET AL 2,77

APPARATUS FOR WINDING LIMP MATERIAL INTO CORELESS ROLLS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed March 29. 1952 BY aid bflxi a/ewir Dec. 25, 1956 M. A. SCHWARTZ ETAL 2,

APPARATUS FOR WINDING LIMP MATERIAL INTO CORELESS ROLLS Filed March 29,1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 7/045 flan Y A 7'70E/VEY United States PatentAPPARATUS FOR WINDING LIMP MATERIAL INTO CORELESS ROLLS .Morris A.Schwartz, North Plainfield, N. J., and Harland S. Fisher, Wilmette,111., assignors to Johnson & Johnson, a corporation of New JerseyApplication March 29,1952, Serial No. 279,274

' 3'Claims. Cl. 242-66) weight are severed from a continuous strand .ofcotton and ,laid one after another in longitudinal spaced relation upona continuously moving strip .of paper of width somewhat greater than thewidth of the bats and Whose .edges are folded over the marginal portionsthereof. Thereupon; the paper is :cut transversely between the cottonbats so as to leave suitable lengths of 'the paper extending beyond .theends of the bats.

In accordance with the invention, the bats thus partially wrapped passbetween continuously traveling belts which feed them down to a.convoluting chamber. The partially wrapped bat enters the convolutingchamber where-itis rolled .upon itself without the aid .of a spindle .orcore .and the completed roll discharged from the chamber. The.convoluting {chamber is .defined at the rear by the cylindrical surfaceof .a roll which rotates in adirection .to feed the batendwise into thechamber. .It is .defined .at ,the bottomand at the :front by two .othersmaller .rolls arranged .on axes parallel to the .axis of the first rolland which .rotate .in the same .direction. As the .hat engages ,thebottom Ta-nd the front rolls .in order, ,its leading .end is turned:upwardly and then inwardly toward the incoming portion of .the ,bat.and thus is rolled up ,as the .bat continues to feedjntothe chamber.The bottom and front rolls are mounted in a frame which ,is movable awayfrom the roll :defining .the rear .of the chamber in order toaccommodate the bat .roll :as .it increases in size;and. a1so to permittheroll .tobe discharged .jfrom the chamber .upon its .completion.

Al o, in accordance with theinvention, a doffer memberjis arrangedin.the movable .frame .adjacent the upper front roll. This serves to.direct .the ,bat as ,it enters the .conv'cluting chamber past the.upper front roll without erference fromsit .and also to prevent .thebat as .it is wound from ,ridingtoo :higharpdn the chamber, as zit mayhave a tendency {to do .under .certain conditions. "This dofiier memberalso .is equipped with positively driven inffeed rollers disposed .atthe entrance of the .ccnv utiug chambe opp site the al rm Q w h ;finesthe ,rear thereof toeliminate drag on the material as it enters thechamber.

Other features .of the invention include mechanism for operating themovable frame to discharge. the finished roll from 'the convolutingchamber and to restore the frame *to its normal position after suchdischarge, .and devices-for "timing such mechanism in its operation inaccordance with the length of the bat to be 'wound up in :the ilh'alnber.

"Referring "to vthe drawings:

2,775,410 a t d De 95,

. 2 operation of apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a front view partially in section of a coreless roll wind-upapparatus equipped with the present inven- .tion;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 77 of Fig. .6;

Fig. 8 is a partial vertical section on line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section online 9-9 of 'Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a doffer comb element which insures properentry of the material into the convoluting chamber;

Fig. 111 is a perspective view of a sample of partially wrapped materialof the type the improved apparatus is designed to handle; and

I Fig. 12 is a circuit diagram for timing the operation of mechanism foreffecting discharge from the convo luting chamber of .a completed .rollof material.

At a stage earlier than that with which we are here concerned, a bat 10is severed from a continuous strand of limp material such as cotton anddeposited upon a strip .of paper .11 widerTthanthe bat and whoselateraledges 12 are turned up over the marginal portions of the .bat .asshown in Fig. '1;-1. The ,paper itself is severed transversely :betweensuccessive bats whichare laid one after another on the traveling paperin longitudinal spaced relation, so that there-is a portionof the paperextending beyond the bat at each .end thereof ,for a short distance.

. Sufficient-paper is left extending beyond the trailing end @of the,bat to make :one complete outer convolution for the roll, .and a daubof glue 13 is applied to the paper near the end so that the outerconvolutionwill adhere to .the underlying convolution to maintain thecompleted roll intact .until use. p r The .bats 10 are delivered one{after another between traveling belts .14 and .15 whose adjacentflights travel downwardly in the same direction .and at the same speed(Fig, 1). The .belts at vapproximately the same point, .pass eachoutwardly ,around spaced pulleys 16 and 17 so that the bat ,isdischarged endwise from between the ,travelingbehs and its leadingendcaused to enter a convoluting chamber 18.

The convolutingchamber 18 is defined at the rear by .a roll 19 0frelatively.large. diameter mounted on ashaft 20 extending transversely:of the machine and which is rotatedrto drive the roll in.acounterclockwise direction looking at the machine from the right.(Fig. 1). The ,convoluting chamber is .also defined ,at the bottom andat the front by a; pair of smaller rolls 2 1 and 22 likewise arranged ontransverse shafts 23 and 24 whicharedriven to rotate the rolls likewisein counterclockwise direc- ..tion. The rolls 21 and .22 are mounted .ina frame 25 pivotedat the .top on ,a transverse shaft 26 which permitstheframe andconsequentlythe rolls 21 and 22 to rnove as a unitawayfromt-helargerroll 19 toenlarge the convoluting chamber 18 for a purposehereinafter made clear.

.As the partially wrapped .bat .10 is discharged from between thetraveling belts ;14 and ,15, its under surface engages the large roll 19and .substantially simultaneously (therewith its top surface at a.pointdirectly opposite .en-

gages a series of driven infeed rolls 27 arranged in spaced relation ona transverse .shaft,28 and which formpart of a dofier comb arrangementmounted in the frame 25. .As hereinafter more fully described, thisarrangement effects with the large roll 19 apositive feedof thebat intothe convoluting chamber 18. I

The bat 1 0 ;is fed by the large .roll 19 and the smaller infeed rollsdown into theconvoluting chamber .until'its leading end engages: theroll '21 defining thejbottom of the chamber'-(Fig.' 2). The bottom roll'21 turns the bat to the left=ui1til it engagesthe roll '22 whichdefines the 3 front of thecon'voluting chamber and .since this rollrotates in the same direction as the other rolls 19 and 22, the leadingend of the bat is again turned to form the first or inneficdrivolutiohof the roll (Fig. 3). There after the bat, as it continues to feed intothe convoluting chamber, is rolled up upon itself and as its diameterincreases, the pivoted frame 25 with the rolls 21 and 22 therein swingsto the left to accommodate this everincreasing diameter (Fig. 4). I

When the roll is completed, the pivoted frame 25 is swung further to theleft so as to permit the roll to be discharged by gravity from theconvoluting chamber (Fig. Thereafter, the frame 25 is restored to itsnormal position. ready to receive the next bat for winding.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7 it will be observed thatthe apparatus is equipped with left and right fixed vertical'side framemembers 29 and 30 and that the pulleys 16 and 17 which drive the beltsare mounted midway between the side frame members on transverse shafts31 and 32 journalled near their ends in said side frame members. Theshafts 31 and 32 extend beyond the side frame member 30 at the right andhave meshing gears 33 and 34 fixed at their ends to insure theirrotation at the same angular speed when driven from the main drive shaft35 of the machine through co-operating pinions 36 and 37; g

The belt 14 at the rear and consequently the pulley 16 which drives itare as wide or perhaps slightly wider than the cotton bat in itspartially wrapped condition. The belt drive at the front on the otherhand is in actuality two separate belts each of a much narrower widthand which overlie the marginal edges of the wider belt so that only themarginal edges of the cotton bat are engaged thereby leaving the centralportion of the bat exposed at the front for reasons which subsequentlywill appear. The driving pulleys 17 for the narrow belts are of coursemounted on the same shaft 32 but are appropriately spaced to accommodatethe spacing of the narrow belts and have crowned surfaces to insure thatthe belts 15 as they travel will remain centrally located on thepulleys. The transverse shaft which carries the large roll 19 is alsojournalled at its opposite ends in the fixed side frames 29 and 30 andhas an outboard extension at the right on I which there is fixed a gear38 which also is driven from the pinion 36 on the main drive shaft 35.

The pivoted frame 25 is a box-like structure open at the rear and havingrelatively heavy side members 39 and 40, relatively lighter top andbottom portions and a relatively lighter front portion 41 connecting theside members and having a window 42 in its upper half for lightness andobservation of the parts (Figs. 6 and 7). The front portion is continuedaround at the top and at the bottom where it likewise is fastened to theside members to give strength to the frame.

The transverse shaft 26 which supports the frame 25 at the top actuallyis a rotatable shaft having bearings in the pivoted frame and which alsois journalled near its ends in the fixed side frames 29 and 30. Beyondthe fixed side frame 29 at the left, there is fixed on the shaft 26 asprocket 43 chain driven from a sprocket 44 correspondingly located atthe left end of the shaft 32 on which the front pulley 17 is mounted.The shaft 26 also has fixed to it, just inside the left machine framemember 29, another sprocket 45 which chain drives a transverse shaft 46journalled in the pivoted frame 25 near its bottom. The shaft 46 has asprocket 47 affixed to it at its left end for this purpose. The shaft 46extends at its right end beyond the side wall of the pivoted framemember 25 where there is fixed a pinion 48 which in turn drives a pairof gears 49 and 50 fixed one at the right end of each of the shafts 23and 24 of the rolls 21 and 22 that define the bottom and the front ofthe convoluting chamber 18. Since the pivoted frame 25 swings from theshaft 26 which drives the rolls 21 and 22, it is obvious that there willbe no interference with the continuous drive of such rolls regardless ofthe position of the pivoted frame.

The large roll 19 which defines the rear of the convoluting chamber isrubber-tired to insure good frictional engagement with the partiallypaper-encased cotton bat as it is fed into the convoluting'chamber. Thetwo rolls 21 and 22 which define the bottom and the front of theconvoluting chamber are likewise rubber-tired, but in their case, therubber tires are provided with circumferential tongues 51 and grooves 52with the tongues of each roll partially projecting into the grooves ofthe other roll. This arrangement actstoprevent the material from gettingbetween the rolls 21 and 22 which would be detrimental to properenrolling, and which it might if these rolls had plain cylindricalsurfaces with such clearance as would be necessary to prevent one rollrubbing against the other.

The dofier comb device-which serves positively to feed the bat into theconvoluting chamber and to prevent the bat from moving up toward theinlet of the convoluting chamber is illustrated in detail in Figs. 8, 9and 10. Toward the front of the machine it consists of a horizontal bodyportion 53 Whose ends between the top and bottom surfaces of the bodyportion are formed with slots 54 open at the front and which engage overcorrespondingly formed lugs 55 fixed to the inner faces of the sidemembers of the pivoted frame 25. The doifer comb member at the bottom iscurved for a portion of its length so as to clear the upper convolutingroll 22 and at its rear end is formed with a series of spaced tines 56which project downwardly and engage with suitable clearance in thegrooves 52 of such roll. The rear faces of the tines curve outwardly andupwardly so as to provide the desired dotfer action previously alludedto.

The spaced infeed rollers 27 previously described are arranged in thespaces between the tines and project beyond the'rear faces thereof farenough to engage the cotton bat and insure that it is fed properly intothe convoluting chamber. Set screws 57 extending radially in through therollers 27 hold them on the transverse shaft 28 which is journalled inthe end sections 58 of the doffer comb. The shaft 28 extends beyond theright end of the dofi'er comb member where it is provided with a pinion59 that meshes directly with a pinion 60 fixed on the shaft 24supporting the upper convoluting roll 22. This direct drive of the shaft28 by the shaft 24 causes the infeed rolls to rotate in the directionopposite to that of the upper convoluting roll 22 which is the properdirection of rotation for. the parts to accomplish their intendedpurpose. j

The proper position of the infeed rolls 27 with respect to the incomingbat and of the tines 56 with respect to the upper convoluting roll 22 isdetermined when the inner ends of the slots 54 in the doffer comb memberbank against the adjacent ends of their supporting lugs 55 (Fig. 8). Thedoifer comb member is locked in this position by a latch member 61 fixedat the inner end of a fore and aft latch rod 62 rotatably supported in ablock 63 fixed in the front wall 41 of the pivoted frame member 25. Thelatch rod 62 is held against fore and aft movement by a pair of collars64 fixed to the latch rod and bearing one against the inner face of theblock 63 and the other against the outer face thereof. A knob 65 fixedat the front outer end of the latch rod 62 permits the rod to be turnedin one direction to cause the latch member 61 to enter a recess 66centrally located in the top face of the dotfer member, to wedge thelatter tightly in its proper position. Turning the latch rod 62 in theopposite direction withdraws the latch from the slot and frees thedolfer member for removal from the pivoted frame member 25 when desired.

The tightness with which the cotton bat is rolled in the convolutingchamber is determined by the pressure exerted on the bat during windingby the top and bottom conwreath volut-ing.ro1ls-,.21 and 2.2 .a-nd this:in turn depends upon the unbalanced \weight ;of:the pivotedqframe .25zitself. 1n. the embodiment {ShOWJIL :the normal weight off the pivotedframe 25 acting through the convoluting rolls is .augmented by the:reaction of .a spring :67 :anchored at one end :in the machine .frame{and connected :at its other :end with the pivoted frarne through aflexible cable 68 (Big. 7). The cable passes upwardly and over a :pulley69 mounted on :the tfixed frame and thence :forwardly where it maybeconnectedtoa sideelement of the pivoted frame .as by a'pinandshackleconnection 70. A turnbuckle 71 connected {between :the spring67 and the fixed frame will permit adjustment .in the tension of thespring and consequently in the pressure which zthepivoted frame 25exerts upon the ,roll of cotton. If relatively lightpressures are.desired, the pivoted frame 25 instead of being spring loaded may :be.suitably counterbalanced.

Thepivoted frame25 -:is swung forward to discharge the completedroll ofcotton and then back to its normal ,position after the roll has beendischarged, by an airoperated cylinder ,andzpiston device 71 (Fig. 7).The cylinder is pivoted at its rear end on a bracket 72 fixed tothemachineframe. A piston :rod 73 extends through the forward end :of:the cylinder and is swivel connected ;at;its:front:end-1:o the pivotedframe. The ,pivoted'mounting of the cylinder and piston mechanism is:necessary to accommodate the swinging movement of .the pivoted frame25. The cylinder at the front and at the back of the piston isconnectedthrougha pair of flexible conduits 74 and '75 with valves 76and .77 operable selectively to connect each end of the cylinder -=witha source of air pressure ;or to vent such end-s to the atmosphere. Thenormal position of the valves is as shown in Fig. 7 wherein both ends ofthe rcylindereare vented to atmosphere through apertures 78 and 79. Thisposition ofthe parts corresponds to .the normal position of the pivotedframe in which the convoluting chamber .is set to receive a :cottonlbat:for .Windimzv However, when the bat hasbeen completely rolled .up .inthe convoluting mb the valve 77 is turned to a position in which therear end of the cylinder is connected to a source of air pressurethrough a T connection 80. As pressure builds up in the cylinder thepiston moves outwardly to swing the pivoted frame 25 to its openposition in which the rolled up bat is discharged (Fig. Upon dischargeof the completed roll, the valve 77 is restored to its normal positionin which the rear end of the cylinder is vented to the atmosphere and atthe same time the other valve 76 is turned to connect the cylinder inadvance of the piston with the same source of air pressure through the Tconnection 80. As the pressure builds up in this end of the cylinder,the piston moves rearwardly to restore the pivoted frame to its normalposition ready to receive the next hat. The valve 76 then is alsorestored to its normal position in which the front end of the cylinderis vented to atmosphere. Both ends of the cylinder are normally ventedso that the pivoted frame is free to move without interference.

The bats coming through the machine for winding will vary in lengthaccording to the weight of the bat being processed. There may also besome variation in length even as between bats of the same weight due tovariations in the cotton itself. The operation of the valves for movingthe pivoted frame from and to its normal position is controlled by thelength of the bat itself so that no adjustments in the machine arenecessary regardless of such variations in length. For this purpose,there is mounted on a bracket 81, supported by the fixed frame of themachine and located behind the window 42 in the pivoted frame 25, amicro-switch 82 which is operated by a finger 83 pivoted on the bracket81. The finger 83 is pressed rearwardly by the reaction of a light coilspring 84 encircling the pivot on which it is mounted and which reactsbetween the finger and a fixed part of the bracket 81, so that its lowerend will engage the front face of 6 the bats :as they travel =throtrghthe machine. The-finger is located somewhat 011 the center line of the.hats so that it will not pickup anyofthe glue from :thetdaub 13. "T heangular position of the finger 83 determines the-operation of themicro-switch 82. When the that 10 is beneath the finger, themicro-switch is opened. When the bat passes out from beneath the finger83, the latter-drops under )thfi action of the spring 84 to close themicro-switch. As the micro-switch closes, it establishes as electricalconnection through a time delay relay 85 with a suitable source ofelectrical current (Big. 12). The relay 85 when energized, operatesafter a time interval which is just .suflicient :to permit the entirecotton bat together with the excess paper .at its end to pass into theconvoluting chamber .and be completely rolled up.

Time delay relay '85, upon operation,-c1oses a contact .86 electricallytoconnect a solenoid 87 'with the powensource through normally closedcontact 88 and leads ;89, :90 and 91. Solenoid 87 when energizedadjuststhe air valve 77 to connect the rear end of cylinder 71 with the sourceof air pressure through connections 75 and-80, thus to move the pivotedframe 25 outwardly and permit discharge of the completed zIOll (Figs..5, .7 and 12).

Simultaneously with the closing of contact 86, an electrical connection,is established through another time delay relay 92 through leads 89,,91 and 93. This relay when energized operates aftera time intervalsuflic'ient 1.0 per- :rnit rthe pivoted frame 25 to open and dischargethe completed .roll. As it operates, zitzbreaks contact .88 :to dis-.establish the circuit through solenoid 87 whereupon a spring 94restores the armature .of ithe solenoid IO its normal position andadjusts the valve 77 tovent :the rear end of the cylinder .71'tolatmosphere through the vport 7-9. Thetoperation of time delay relay92 also closes .a contact 95 which connects asolenoid 96 withthesource-oflpower through leads -89, 91 and 97 and of course thepreviously closedcontact 86. Solenoid 96adjuststthe air valve 76 to.connect ,the front tI1d Of cylinder 17d with ,the source .of

.air supply, whereupon the pivoted frame 25 .is restored .to its normalposition in a manner previously described.

When pivoted frame 25 has been restored to its normal position, theleading end of another bat 10 to be rolled up will have arrived underthe end of the pivoted finger 83 and restored the latter to the positionin which the micro-switch 82 is open. When that occurs, the entireelectrical circuit is deenergized and all the elements thereof arerestored to their normal positions. This includes deenergization ofsolenoid 96 whereupon a spring 98 acting on the armature thereof adjuststhe air valve 76 to its normal position in which the front end ofcylinder 71 is again vented to atmosphere through port 78 (Fig. 7).

In order that the product when completed will be smooth and uniform, thebat as it enters the convoluting chamber is maintained under slighttension by giving the large roll 19 and the infeed rolls 27 a surfacespeed approximately five percent (5%) greater than the linear speed ofthe bat as it travels down toward the convoluting chamber through theconveyor belts 14 and 15. Also, to keep the bat, as it is being rolledup, down at the bottom of the convoluting chamber and away from thedolfer comb which might cause rubbing marks on the product, the smallerconvoluting rolls 21 and 22 are given a surface speed approximately fivepercent (5%) less than the linear speed of the bat as it travels downthrough the conveyors 14 and 15. The dilferential in surface speed whichthus results between the large convoluting roll 19 and the rolls 21 and22 tends to give the product as it is being rolled up a resultantmovement of transla tion in a downward direction. v

While in the preferred embodiment, the infeed rolls 27 are positivelydriven, good results also may be obtained if such rolls are idlers orindeed if such rolls are omitted with the substitution in their steadofa smooth surface 7 that Will not interfere with the movement of thebat into theconvoluting chamber. I

1 The invention has been described in connection with only oneembodiment, but many modifications thereof are included within itsspirit. The invention therefore, is to be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding limp material into a coreless roll, including apair of opposed frames, a series of parallel rolls arranged one in oneframe and the others in the second frame and defining a convolutingchamber, means for rotating all said rolls in the same direction so thatlimp material entering endwise into the chamber is rolled upon itself bysuch rotation of the rolls, means associated with one of said frames,including devices positively driven in a direction opposed to thedirection of rotation of said rolls for guiding said material into theconvoluting chamber, said second mentioned frame being mounted forpivotal movement relatively to the first mentioned frame to enlargeautomatically the convoluting chamber to accommodate the material as itis rolled upon itself and to permit discharge from the convolutingchamber of the completed roll, and means mounted coaxially with thepivot of the second mentioned frame and from which the rolls in saidframe are driven.

2. Apparatus for winding limp material into a coreless roll, including apair of opposed frames, a series of parallel IOlls arranged one in oneframe and the others in the second frame and defining a convolutingchamber, means for rotating all said' rolls in the same direction sothat limp material entering endwise into the chamber is rolled uponitself by such rotation of the rolls, means associated With one of saidframes, including devices positively driven in a direction opposed tothe direction of rotation of said rolls for guiding said material intothe convoluting chamber, said second mentioned frame being mounted forpivotal movement relatively to the first mentioned frame to enlargeautomatically the convoluting chamber to accommodate the material as itis rolled upon itself and to permit discharge from the convolutingchamber of the completed roll, means mounted coaxially with the pivot ofthe second mentioned frame and from which the rolls in said frame aredriven, and means acting on said second mentioned frame for adjustingthe pressure exerted by the rolls therein on the material as it is beingrolled up so as'to regulate the tightness of wind'of'the finished rollof material.

' 3. Apparatus for winding limp material into a coreless roll, includinga pair of opposed frames, a series of parallel rolls arranged one 'inone frame and the'others in the second frame and defining aconvoluting-chamber, means for rotating all said rolls in the samedirection so that limp material entering endwise -into the chamber isrolledupon itself by such rotation of the rolls, means associated withone of said frames, including'devices positively driven in adirectionopposed to the direction of rotation of said rolls for guiding saidmaterial into the convoluting chamber, a rotatable shaft on which thesecond mentioned frame is freely mounted for pivotal movement relativelyto the first mentioned frame to enlarge automatically the convolutingchamber to accommodate the material as it is rolled upon itself and topermit discharge from the convoluting chamber of the completed roll, andmeans for driving the rolls in said second mentioned frame from saidrotatable shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,681,046

Dyken June 9,

